Incandescent

Chapter 16

Shashi Gupta remembered the promise he had made to his daughter the last time she had come home - that he would come visit her every once in a while if she couldn't. He had missed her so much but he had understood why she couldn't take frequent vacations. She attended classes and worked on her project during weekends now and had become busier than ever. His darling daughter had grownup, he thought fondly.

But for him, taking time off from the shop was easier said than done. But he had somehow managed to close the shop this time to make a trip to Delhi. To visit his daughter. Diwali was over and so there was a short decline in the demand for sweets. He would then go back before Christmas and the New Year when the sweets business once again soared to an all time high. So here he was, standing in front of the apartment his daughter rented, with his wife in tow.

"Where did she say she keeps her spare keys, Garima?" He asked his wife.

Garima put down the bag she was holding and walked over to the shoe stand infront of the apartment. She bent down and picked a white canvas shoe hidden behind lot others and peeled out a rolled newspaper bunch from inside it. Behind it, the key was hidden inside another such bunch. All these precautions were necessary, considering the threat of theft in the city. Once she had the key, she opened the door and they entered, thankful that it opened properly. Travel weary, all they wanted was to rest for a few hours before their daughter would be back.

She would be happy with the surprise, thought Shashi. He couldn't wait to see the joy on his chutki's face.

•••

Women had this way of knowing instinctively about whether a person has good or bad intentions. Khushi's first glimpse of Vijay Bakshi during the fittings and rehearsals the following day day did not alter her opinion of him. He still made her uneasy.

He was a fairly attractive man, she observed. And he was a great designer going by the designs he had created. But that didn't give him the license to go about fondling everyone as if it was his birth right.

Among those modeling today was an actress who was trying to make a comeback after a long hiatus. But the pathetic and cut throat state of the Bollywood industry did not make it easy for someone like her. An industry that saw young, new faces everyday, she was considered old and unfit for lead roles. But desperate times call for desperate measures.

Khushi had seen a few of her movies. She was beautiful and Khushi felt bad when she saw the woman go out of her way to embrace that man as soon as he walked into the room. And he being the creep he was, he casually patted the woman's bottom and ran his hand over her body. Khushi instinctively knew what she had given to have a part in this show. She squirmed and looked away feeling bad.

This was why she considered herself lucky. She had mentors like Payal and Arnav who had taken extreme care to protect her from this side of the industry. This was the reason, she had learned later, Arnav had given her a contract himself and not through the agency. She had still faced quite a few unpleasant attentions but she was always able to stand her ground because she knew she had that liberty. She sure did turn away now but she couldn't tune out the conversation they were having. Apparently the actress had had a bad marriage and had walked out and filed for divorce. She now wanted to make a comeback so she could make a living for herself since she had no family support.

"I just needed a start. Anything that could announce my comeback. And without money to do it, I'm so glad you were there for me, Vijay," she said and Khushi couldn't help but see the way he casually squeezed her breasts.

"And I'll put you right back where you left off. You still have it in you."

My foot. She didn't know if it would be right for her to judge the woman. But she would definitely judge him. Not wanting to hear anymore, she gathered her bag and belongings and walked to the far away corner of the room and sat down at a chair in the corner. Just then her stylist walked to her and gave her the clothes she'd be wearing. She gave her some privacy to put it on before she would join her to secure it in place. They'd then look at the fittings and alter if needed.